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January 2023
News from Heather Storta
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Happy New Year!
I hope your 2023 is off to a great start, mine sure is! I have lots of teaching appearances lined up and several designs coming out soon. My TE client list is growing, and I'm starting the year super busy.
I hope these newsletters are welcome additions to your inbox. Read on to find out what is going on with me, plus some extra tidbits, of course.
I hope, wherever you are, you are safe and healthy. Happy Knitting!
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I finished up my Cast On magazine shawls with plenty of time to meet my deadline (whew), and now I'm mostly working on samples for some new classes.
I have a pair of mittens I'm prepping for my new Afterthought Everything class (hopefully taught at a festival near you sometime this year):
And a swatch with embellishments for my Embellishments for Knitting class (to be taught at the Next Level Knitting Conference):
I finished my mitts for my upcoming Colorful Cables class (well, except for the thumb on one, but I want to leave that to demo on in class) -- see below in the Upcoming Designs segment! I have a cowl started as well, but it's only at the point right before starting the cables, so I'm going to leave it at that point to demo with in class as well.
I have to start prepping my design proposals for the Summer issue of Cast On now as well - I will have two articles and two patterns in that issue.
I'd love to hear about your works in progress! What are you working on?
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These aren't "new" new designs, but my newest ones that have come out recently. Next month I should have some "new" new designs to show you!
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My Convoluted Cowl was released in the Winter issue of Cast On magazine. It's a sideways knitted cowl, with a provisional cast on and a seamless graft in pattern at the end to join. The pattern goes along with an article on provisional cast ons. If you're a TKGA member, check it out! If you're not a member of TKGA, join today to get access to this pattern and article along with many others!
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The Flower Fantasteek Cowl is still available in the Knitrino app.
This is a Fair Isle cowl, worked in 6 colors. The cowl is knitted from the bottom up with a set of buttonholes in the bottom ribbing, then it is steeked and buttonbands and buttonhole bands are added at the steek edges. The cowl buttons up to be worn asymmetrically, coming to a point in front. If you're new to Fair Isle and/or new to steeking, it's a great pattern to work to ease you into those two skills!
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I have one secret project that won't be released until this summer. Can't wait to share with you!
Here are the fingerless mitts for the Colorful Cables class (one thumb missing, lol.)
(See details on the retreat below.) Once I finish the matching cowl and get photos, and then get the patterns tech edited, I am planning on releasing the patterns for sale. It might be March or so before they're available. (They might end up being two separate patterns, with the mitts getting released first, I'm not sure yet.)
My two shawls are in for photography, so you'll have to wait until the next issue of Cast On is released (around the first of February) to see them in all their glory, but I will say I am really happy with how they both turned out. I can't wait for you to see them.
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Next weekend I'll be teaching in Hendersonville, NC at the Kanuga Knitting and Quilting Retreat. This is such a lovely setting for a relaxing weekend. I will be teaching Colorful Intarsia Cables. (Mitts pictured above.)
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In February (17th-19th), I'll be teaching at The Wooly Weekend in Dobson, NC.
(Registration has closed for this retreat.)
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In March, I'll be teaching at Carolina Fiber Fest in Raleigh, NC.
Registration is open now!
I'll be teaching:
3/10 (Friday)
8am-11am: Decorative Cast Ons and Bind Offs
12-3pm: Sweaters That Fit
4-7pm: A Sampling of Sock Heels
3/11 (Saturday)
3-6pm: Tisket Tasket Entrelac Baskets
I just found out that I've been invited to be a featured designer for the show as well, so stay tuned to find out when I will be presenting!
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I'll be teaching April 13-16, 2023 in Gatlinburg, TN for the SE Fiber Forum!
Registration is open now!!
I'll be teaching a Lace Shawl Design Intensive workshop.
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In April (21st-23rd), I'll be teaching at the Next Level Knitting Conference with TKGA. This is a fantastic virtual event filled with lots of great content over the whole weekend.
I'll be teaching two sessions:
Embellishment for Hand Knits
Fixing Mistakes in Lace Knitting
Tickets go on sale January 15th.
This is seriously a really great conference for a fantastic price!
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On My YouTube Channel This Month:
Be sure to subscribe to my channel, and hit the notification button to be notified when my new videos get posted. Do please share my videos with your friends if you find them helpful. Thank you so much for your continued support, it means the world to me!
This month I have a series of videos covering different grafting situations. Most of the videos will also have blog posts to go along with them. Today I have a video out on Russian grafting, which is a nice substitute for Kitchener stitch.
(Feel free to send me your ideas for topics, if there is something specific you'd like to see in the future!)
My next "Knit With Me/Knitting Q&A" Livestream will be next week, Tuesday January 10th, at 1pm ET/10am PT. Feel free to send in your questions in advance if there is something you'd like to ask me! Simply respond to this newsletter or send me an email at hs@heatherstorta.com.
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Knitting Tip:
Evenly Spacing Increases/Decreases
Whether you are working flat or in the round determines how you calculate spacing. If in the round, take the total number of stitches and divide by the desired increase/decrease sts. Say this is N. (You will need to round to a whole number.) This will be the number of stitches you work before making each lifted increase, for example. If using an increase that uses a stitch (like kfb) you would subtract one from this number and so work (N-1) sts, then kfb. For the decreases, you have to remove two from this number to account for the 2 sts used in the decrease. So, work (N-2) then k2tog. If you didn't get a whole number, the last segment can be increased or decreased to account for that.
When working flat, instead take the total number of stitches and divide by the desired increase/decrease sts PLUS one. This gives you the sts needed in each space between the inc/dec -- including the two side spaces in from the selvedge. Then the same rule as stated above applies as to working N sts or (N-1) or (N-2) before your decrease/increase.
If you get a decimal number, you can round up or down one of your segments. Or decide to make the selvedge edge segments a little smaller or larger in order to result in an even number of sts in the other spaces.
I have some videos on this as well that might make things a bit more clear, here are those:
Evenly spacing decreases: https://youtu.be/0Us0JIsYv0Q
Evenly spacing increases: https://youtu.be/IsBmaKNjlXI
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 Knitting in the News:
London-based designer Mila, under the name Mila Textiles, creates elaborately embroidered balaclavas.
The Campaign for Wool Canada hosts a speaker series each month. The one in December was on using wool in handmade rugs, the recorded event is viewable here.
I've shared stories about the "Syston Knitting Banxy" before. Well now the knitter is having their work featured on the ITV soap "Coronation Street.."
Knitting History Forum is holding their 2023 Annual Conference on January 28th, via Zoom. Tickets are 25 pounds, and it will run from 11:15am to 4:45pm GMT. I already have my ticket! (It will be an early morning for me in the Eastern time zone, but I'm sure it will be worth it.) More info can be found here.
(Many thanks to reader Karen who shared several links with me!)
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 ATTENTION DESIGNERS!
Are you a Budding Designer? Are you an experienced Designer? Are you looking for a Tech Editor? I'm a TKGA-certified Tech Editor, and I am still taking on new clients! (Although that might change soon!) Visit my webpage for details.
I also offer consulting sessions, so if you have a design you are trying to flesh out and would like some advice, feel free to reach out to set up a consultation!
I have a dedicated bi-monthly Tech Editing Newsletter, the January issue went out earlier this week, then next one will go out the beginning of March. It contains my upcoming tech editing availability schedule -- to help with planning your tech editing services. Sign up for that newsletter HERE if you are interested. (It is a separate subscription from this newsletter.)
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Where to Purchase my Designs:
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Would you like to buy me a coffee? (or tea?)
I have a Ko-Fi account! Your support means so much, and every little bit helps! (And KoFi takes no cut or fees from your donations, so I get to keep more of your donation!) You can make a one-time donation, or sign up to make a recurring donation.
Your donations help to make my newsletters and blog posts possible, so Thank You!
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Just a reminder, all of my newsletter archives are available on my website HERE, in case you missed one and wanted to catch up! Thank you so much for subscribing.
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Until next time, Happy Knitting!
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